


The Kappa's Bridge

by Late4f8



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Kappa
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-01
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2017-12-31 04:55:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Late4f8/pseuds/Late4f8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A demon, a monkey, and a monk attempt to cross a bridge, but must first cross the Kappa who lives... nearby, because there’s not enough room to live underneath it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For my youngest teen daughter who asked me to write her a Saiyuki story ...

* * * * *

Once upon a time, there was a river that flowed from the mountains, down through the canyons, across prairies, and forests, and past villages of all sizes. The river was populated with all sorts of life. The kind you could admire for its beauty, or eat for its nutrients. And the kind that could eat you.

Of the many lifeforms, the one that frightened villagers and the travelers between villages, were the spirit folk who lived in the river. The Kappa, they were called, were much more clever than the fish and reptiles that lived with them. They were fond of tricking the passing traveler, and especially fond of eating them, or so the stories were told.

This is the story that the demon, Cho Hakkai, told his traveling companions, Priest Genjyo Sanzo the 31st, and the strong but unmagical Monkey King, when they arrived at the bridge with the large sign posted, _"Beware of the Kappa"_.

The blond-haired priest rolled his eyes. "As if we need another delay."

Goku, the younger man who didn't actually resemble a monkey, scoffed. "This is no river. It's nothing but quicksand!"

"Mm. Agreed." Hakkai studied the bridge and the forest wetlands around it. The bridge was wide and wooden, erected just a foot above a dull surface. But it looked sturdy enough, as it flatly crossed a fair twenty yards of what looked to be a trickling river flanked by banks that resembled watery oatmeal.

"Sanzo? Shall we?" Hakkai looked to the priest.

"I don't see anything to stop us." And he strode onto the bridge.

His footsteps knocked twice on the wood slats, and the murky water erupted in a splash, spewing a lanky and gritty creature onto the center of the bridge.

"No one crosses!"

The three travelers froze, wide-eyed and wary of the human figure. It, or he, as the voice had certainly been male, stood in a fighter's stance, wearing little more than a heavy coating of the river's sand, and a pair of shorts that were much too tight. Bits of watery plant-life stuck out from the sand that stuck to him from head to toe, even appearing to sprout from his long, dirty hair as grassy sprigs. He wielded a staff with a sickle on one end, and spade on the other, and he gave it a lazy spin before thunking the spade onto the bridge.

Goku leaped forward to stand beside his guardian. "Want me to fight him, Sanzo?"

Sanzo, even though he was a priest, carried weapons of his own - a staff and gun. He felt no qualms about using violence to get what he wanted. However, he did often consider the fact that he was a priest first, before taking such drastic actions as fighting, or shooting, the many idiots that seemed to get in his way.

So as a priest, his first protocol was to respectfully request passage.

"I'm going to India, and you're in my goddamn way. State your price, kappa."

"Tch. No manners at all," the kappa grumbled, and drew himself up taller. "Fine. Each of you who fights me and wins, may cross the bridge."

"That's it?" Goku laughed, and then whipped out his staff. "Bring it on!"

The kappa raised his weapon and grinned. "A monkey? I hear monkeys don't like baths."

"Don't call me a monkey, dirty kappa!"

"Stop!" Hakkai held up a hand, and the demonic vine tattoos living on his skin rustled in agitation. "Sanzo, if we may discuss this, please, before we resort to violence?"

Sanzo huffed and gave Goku a look. "You, wait." And to Hakkai, "You. Speak up."

Hakkai drew closer so as to speak amongst themselves.

"From his appearance, I don't think he's a real kappa. He doesn't fit the description - short, beaked, and a bowl on his head."

They all three looked back at the kappa-not-kappa.

Goku squinted in thought. "How does that matter?"

Hakkai smiled and his sharp teeth glinted. "I don't know that it does. But one might wonder what value an imposter might find in pretending to be a kappa."

Goku shook his head. "I still don't get it."

Sanzo frowned. "He's a crazy bastard, or he wants something out of it."

"Something other than a fight," Hakkai confirmed. "And if you'll permit me, I'd like to find out."

Sanzo tsked and stepped off the bridge, followed by a shrugging Goku.

"Thank you," Hakkai murmured to their backs. He'd spent his penchant for violence in an earlier life. It'd been just a year since Goku had found him dying in the woods, and taken him to Sanzo for healing. Upon waking, he'd confessed his murderous sin to Sanzo, and Sanzo in return told him he could take up his penance with the gods, or he could accompany Sanzo on his journey and work it off. And for that, Hakkai was thankful for each chance Sanzo gave him to use reason over violence.

Hakkai squared his shoulders and turned to face the kappa who straightened from a slouch. Hakkai smiled politely and bowed.

* * * * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * * * *

"My name is Cho Hakkai."

He saw a faint smile appear under the sandy mask, and the supposed kappa bowed with a long-armed flourish, as if he'd only been waiting for the chance to show his manners. The effect was somewhat ruined by the falling flakes of silt from his body, and the wet, plop of pond scum that dripped from his hair.

"Gojyo," the kappa returned.

Hakkai nodded. "It has not escaped our notice that we would be at a disadvantage in fighting you in a domain you are much more familiar with. So, in lieu -" Hakkai stopped short as the kappa frowned. "I'm sorry. Is something wrong?"

"Well, yeah. I ain't stupid. You're just using fancy words to soften me up. Not gonna happen."

Hakkai bit his lip and blinked. "I see." And he changed tactic a minute amount. "Would you be insulted if I implied you were too smart to be a kappa?"

Gojyo's eyes narrowed, and then he suddenly relaxed. "Tch. I'm thinking everything you say might be an insult. I'm disappointed. And getting bored."

"Disappointed?" Hakkai murmured, and then he bristled, as he'd been extremely polite; although maybe he had let that last bit about kappas slip out. From somewhere behind him, Sanzo snorted, and Hakkai wasn't sure if it was amusement or agreement. It didn't help to cool his very short, and rising temper. Hakkai took a breath and let it out slowly.

"Then I'll speak honestly - and clearly, so that you can be certain of when you're being insulted. Not for one second do you make a believable kappa. You look ridiculous and your manners, although well-intentioned, are poorly executed." The man's mouth dropped open and Hakkai felt a needling satisfaction that drove him to continue. "And your river is nothing more than a cesspool of quicksand that deserves no more protection than that of a sewer."

"Hey!" Gojyo sputtered and banged the end of his staff on the bridge. "You don't -"

"Don't be so rude as to interrupt," Hakkai snapped. "Since you're not a kappa, then you have no purpose protecting anything here. It's a poor excuse to fight any traveler who wanders your way, which means you must be here for something else." Hakkai took another breath. "Therefore, stop wasting our time and state what you expect to receive from your foolish ruse."

Hakkai crossed his arms and prepared to wait, and it was in his sudden silence that he became aware of an odd sound burbling around him. A quick glance down revealed to him that beneath his feet on the bridge, the water boiled. And that was when he sensed a demonic aura other than his own, and realized his mistake. The energy flow was so weak, he hadn't noticed it at all until he'd stirred the kappa's ire.

Hakkai felt a wash of shame for letting his mouth convey his every thought. Rather than insult the kappa, he should have bitten his own tongue and just asked him what he wanted. Hakkai wasn't even sure Gojyo was a kappa. He might be a demon, like Hakkai, or a river spirit whose powers were weakened due to the poor flow of the river. But there was no denying, that Gojyo held some sort of power, because in the space of a few seconds of his realization, he felt a swampy heat rising from the water.

Hakkai looked up quickly and took in Gojyo's glare, and then he bowed and he stayed there.

"My, but the mouth is a source of great evil. I ask that you forgive my temper so that we might start over."

Long seconds passed before the kappa suddenly laughed. "You're a sharp-tongued bastard, huh. Okay, whatever."

Hakkai slowly righted himself, surprised but thankful, that Gojyo would be so quick to forgive. It further confirmed his thought that the man,whatever else he might be, wanted something else from this confrontation.

"Thank you," he said. "My original intention was to point out that I don't think fighting is necessary, and to ask if there are any other compromises that might simplify us crossing your bridge."

He watched Gojyo's gaze shift between the three of them.

"Eh, each one of you can fight me..." he paused, as if to gauge their reactions. "Or give me your belongings...."

"He's just a thief," Sanzo grumbled.

"At least he's not demanding your sacred scriptures," Hakkai murmured back.

"Or... one of you can sleep with me, and I'll let all of you cross."

Hakkai blinked, momentarily stunned by the strange request. His companions weren't so quiet about it though.

"Hell no." Sanzo's voice was clear over Goku's gagging noises.

"Sleep with you!" Goku finally yelled. "That's gross! The sheet's would be all sandy and itchy! Wait..."Goku raised his brows. "Do you even sleep in a bed?"

"Of course I sleep in a bed! Don't be stupid!"

"You're stupid! And I'm gonna beat it out of your stupid head!"

"Bring it on, ape!"

"Aagh!" Goku charged past Hakkai, and raised his staff for a swing, only to leap into the air to avoid the sickle end of Gojyo's staff.

"Goku, be careful!" Hakkai quickly stepped back off the bridge to stand beside Sanzo.

"It's a goddamn perverted kappa," Sanzo said to Hakkai as they watched the fight.

"Mm," Hakkai agreed. "But I don't think Goku picked up on that insinuation."

They looked at each other. From the bridge, they could hear Goku yell again, and then a peal of laughter from Gojyo.

"I'm somewhat curious about him, myself," Hakkai added.

Sanzo snorted, pulled a cigarette from the sleeve of his robe, and lit it. "Don't add pervert to your list of faults." He looked back toward his young charge.

Hakkai laughed. "It's not really a long list."

"It gets longer every day that I know you."

Hakkai smiled and inclined his head, and then returned to watching the fight with Sanzo.

The fight should have been over quickly, as Goku was quite good with his staff, and very strong. But Gojyo's long arms and legs gave him an advantage over the much shorter Goku, of which Goku finally recognized and changed his strategy.

"Nyoi-bo - longer!" Goku pointed his staff directly at Gojyo. The staff magically extended and rammed into the taller man's gut, shoving him off the bridge into the thick water. His landing made more of a splat than a splash, and then he sank.

"Ha! I did it!" Goku jumped in a semi-circle and raised a victorious fist at Sanzo and Hakkai.

Hakkai smiled and started to clap, and then saw Gojyo scamper back onto the bridge.

"Behind you, Goku!"

* * * * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! There probably won't be a chapter update until after Christmas holidays. Take care!

* * * * *

"Behind you, Goku!"

Hakkai's warning wasn't quick enough, and before Goku had turned fully around, Gojyo shoved him into the water from which he'd emerged.

"Ha!" Gojyo yelled back. 

"Goku!" Hakkai shouted and thought he heard Sanzo do the same. Hakkai ran forward and jerked to a stop as his feet sank into several inches of the silt. He gasped and quickly pulled himself free, almost losing his shoes in the sucking mud.

"Gah! This is nasty!" Goku struggled against the heavy, shifting sand, and sank just a bit more. "Aagh! I'm sinking!"

Hakkai watched Gojyo lean over, and felt some surprise that the kappa was going to assist Goku.

"Pull yourself out, you dumb monkey!"

Hakkai scowled.

"I can't!"

"Sure you can. Just -"

 _Bang!_ The sound of gunfire made them all jump and interrupted whatever Gojyo had been about to say.

Hakkai heard Sanzo's low voice from just behind him.

"Get him out of there, now."

Gojyo straightened. "Hey! That's two against one, you cross-dressing bastard!"

Sanzo fired the gun again and the shot chipped the wood at Gojyo's feet.

"It's a robe, you moron. Now fish him out of there." Sanzo cocked his gun again.

Gojyo glared at him. "If you shoot me, you'll be getting him out yourself."

"And I'll toss your dead body out as a rope to do it."

"Hey guys!" Goku interrupted. "I'm still sinking!"

"Tch." Gojyo crossed his arms and looked from Goku back to Sanzo. "You lose. And you, forfeit your fight, and I'll do it."

Sanzo tsked back. "As if you're worth a fight. Done." He lowered his gun.

Gojyo jumped feet first into the muck and it stopped at his waist, though it was obvious that he was in fact, still sinking himself.

Hakkai watched, wide-eyed and curious, as Gojyo lay his staff across the quicksand and proceeded to show Goku how to use it as leverage to lift himself in a push-up above the sand.

Goku followed the instructions, bracing his arms and lifting his body even as the weighted staff would sink. When he'd gain a few inches, he'd pull his staff up and position it again across the muck and lift himself again. The third time, he yelled. "Why am I doing this, when I can do this!" and he lifted his staff and plunged it down vertically into the quicksand. "Nyoi-bo, longer!" The staff once again lengthened and, with Goku holding tightly to it, he was lifted from the sand and tipped himself toward the solid bank of the river.

Gojyo gaped at him and then grinned. "Hoo! That _is_ a fancy stick." He pulled himself out easily back onto the bridge, and tapped sand from the blades of his own staff.

Goku pranced around beside Hakkai and Sanzo, knocking at the wet sand that covered his clothing.

"Are you all right?" Hakkai asked.

"Yeah. But I lost the fight and that sucks! He's fast, but he's not even as strong as me."

"You lost because you weren't paying attention," Sanzo grumbled.

"Sorry."

Sanzo lit another cigarette and smoked quietly for a moment.

"We've wasted enough time," he finally said. "Hakkai, go finish this."

Hakkai folded his hands in front of him. "I'm not inclined to fight him, Sanzo."

Sanzo's eyes narrowed. "Then don't. But whatever you do better get us across that bridge soon."

"Hm." Hakkai frowned. His own weapons consisted of a dagger, and his vines, claws, and teeth. He'd already surmised he was at least as tall as the other man, and so had the same advantage of reach, but Gojyo had the staff as an extension. With a vague plan in mind, he walked the few steps back to the bridge.

Gojyo had retaken his position in the center, and he smirked from under dirty tendrils of hair when Hakkai approached.

"It's you and me again." Gojyo raised his staff and gave a brief flick of interest to the dagger at Hakkai's side. "You'd better hope that pocket knife is as sharp as your tongue."

Hakkai smiled, but otherwise ignored the comment. He rolled up his left sleeve as he spoke. "It surprises me that you're quite set on fighting."

"Huh?"

Hakkai slowly rolled his right sleeve, and even more slowly, he let the vines that tattooed his body unfurl from his legs.They were as dark as his shadow behind him, and slithered down between the slats of the bridge, gripping and twisting underneath, toward Gojyo.

"You did say that there were other options to cross, correct?" His vines crept across half the space between them.

"Well _I_ didn't start that last fight, and you don't look like you're just rolling your sleeves so you can unload your junk at my place."

Hakkai stopped in the midst of cracking his knuckles. "If it's _junk_ , why would you want it?"

Gojyo shrugged and glanced upstream and back. He looked almost sheepish. "I don't," he finally said. "But," and he smiled widely, "I gotta offer some choices, so there ya go."

Hakkai considered his words a moment too long, as Sanzo's voice carried over in warning.

"Hakkai."

Goku shouted. "Just kick his ass, Hakkai!"

"Quickly," Sanzo added.

Gojyo gave his staff another spin and then took a fighter's stance. "Let's finish this."

Hakkai blinked and set aside his curiosity about his opponent, and then nodded, as his vines were now directly underneath Gojyo.

"Very well." He lay a hand on his dagger, and then quickly sent his vines up between the boards to wrap around Gojyo's ankles.

Gojyo never even looked down as he leaped into the air and slammed his spade down and cut through Hakkai's vines.

Hakkai gasped. His vines had never been cut, and the feeling, though it wasn't truly painful, still felt like a dull punch. He was also perturbed that Gojyo had sensed he was about to be roped in.

Hakkai held his dagger in hand now, but was still focused on stopping Gojyo's charge towards him. His vines were his best offense and defense, and he sent multiple runners up through the boards, finally snapping a loop around one ankle and yanking down.

Gojyo hit the bridge hard on his hands and one knee, as his other leg was strung out behind him. He twisted around with his staff and sliced at the vines that climbed quickly up his leg, and jerked himself free.

Hakkai sent more vines toward his arms, and wrapped another around his other ankle.

Gojyo swore and swung the sickle end of his staff into the air.

Hakkai momentarily gawked at the sickle as it swung free from the staff and flew directly toward him. He ducked and it whipped past his head. As it passed, he realized the blade was attached to a chain, and the blade was now swinging back at him. He yelled and fell to the bridge, and the sickle returned to the staff with a metallic snap.

Hakkai realized that the distraction had given Gojyo enough time to cut away at the vines with the spade end of his staff and he was now rolling over to his feet.

Their eyes met for a second of reassessment, and then Hakkai grabbed again with his vines, and Gojyo threw himself from the bridge, tucking himself into a ball and disappearing into the sandy water.

From behind him, came Goku's excited voice. "Wow! He got away from you, Hakkai! And did you see what his staff could do! Cool."

Hakkai didn't respond, and instead, recalled his vines, and searched the area where Gojyo had disappeared, looking for telltale bubbles or movement that would give away his location.

Sanzo grumbled beside Goku. " It looks like one of the temple's sealed relics. The bastard probably stole it."

Hakkai almost sensed the aura too late and directly beneath him, and he leaped back in time to avoid the spade shoved up between the boards where he'd been standing. He realized he would be a fool to stay on the bridge and fight, and so he retreated the few steps back to ground.

"What are you doing?" Sanzo snapped.

Hakkai held up a hand, but didn't take his gaze from the river. Slow ripples rolled from underneath the bridge where Gojyo had emerged long enough to strike. His attention paid off as a single ripple wavered into a vee shape. It was all he had to go on and he let the vines cascade from his legs and sent them crawling across the ground into the water toward that single spot.

The water felt strange, fluid-thick with sand, and it allowed his vines to grip the shifting grains and scramble forward that much more quickly. In some areas, his vines even touched what might be the bottom of the river, and they climbed over roots and rocks.

He found what he was looking for when he felt yet another solid object and it jerked away. His vines lashed toward their prey and caught it. Based on the pattern of movement, he was certain he held Gojyo by the legs. The surface of the water began to stir and bubble from the agitation beneath.

"I've got him." He cast a quick look at Sanzo and then to the water. "I suppose I should drag him out and tie him up?"

"You can drown him for all I care."

Hakkai sighed. "Really Sanzo. That does not help my rehabilitation. I'll pull him in." He retracted his vines carefully, aware that too much tension and weight could unbalance him.

Goku laughed out loud. "It's like fishing, right, Hakkai? I could club him when he comes out."

Hakkai laughed unhappily. "My, my, such violent tendencies we all have." As he pulled, he noted that the kappa had ceased struggling, and the movements had become sporadic. He started to fear he was drowning him and pulled faster. A hard jerk brought things to a stop.

Hakkai tugged, and then felt around with some of his looser vines, and only detected the bottom of the river. He stared hard at the water's barely disturbed surface and pulled harder. The tension only served to pull him forward, and he stopped when he felt a jerk against his vines.

"Well, something has stuck - Oh!"

The sickled blade shot out of the water and raced towards him. Hakkai found himself in a poor position to maneuver, immobilized as he was by his hold on his prey.

"Hakkai!" Goku leaped forward and deflected the chained blade, only for it to whip away and race in low to the ground, and he jumped out of the way.

Hakkai could do no such thing and he thrust his dagger down to protect his legs. The chain passed against the outer edge of the blade so quickly that sparks showered his hand and leg. And then the sickle and chain changed direction and whipped rapidly around his calves. Too late, Hakkai realized just how much he'd underestimated Gojyo.

"Hakkai!" Goku ran back towards him.

"Shit!" Sanzo pulled out his gun again and fired shots into the water.

Hakkai stretched out his hand, and saw Goku reach for him, and then the world turned sideways as he was yanked off his feet. He hit the ground hard on his hip, could hear Sanzo and Goku calling out, and then he was dragged into the river.

 

* * * * *


End file.
